The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-04-22
GRAND SCENERY.

1faphic Description Of the Great Stoae
Face Of the ''lIan Of the Mountains"
The vicinity of FrancOnia Notch. in
New Hampshire, abounds in scenery
which is wild and rugged. but pictu-
rescue beyond description. Such .
union of granite hills and grassy dells,
Of rock. and lake. and river, such q
mingling of the beautiful and grand.
is to be found nowhere else in America.
The bold outlines of Mt. Lafayette
are near at hand, with mOuDtain-top
looming over mountain-top in the dis
lance. Here are Cannon Mountain
and Eagle Glib. one ON the right hand
and the other OF the left, forming the
walls of the Notch. while nestled in the
valley at their feet lies Echo Lake.
twin sister of the mountains.
Further to the south is the Flume, q
mammoth assure in the rocks, 700 feet
in length. and with perpendicular walls
60 or 10 feet in height; and q little
distance away are the Pool and Basin,
with other curiOsities.
But the browning feature Of the scene
is the wonderful Profile, the '.great
stone face" of the ''Old Man of the
Mountains" which keeps guard over
the Notch. and casts its shadows in the
limpid waters of Profile Lake. This is
the closest resemblance to the human
face which has ever been found in
natural scenery anywhere in the world.
It is carved in solid rock upon the
southern face # Cannon Mountain, and
measures 80 feet from forehead to chin.
while the top of the mountain is 1.5OO
feet above the lake ut its foot, and
nearly 1900 feet above sea level. The
outlines of the face are composed Of
three great masses of rock, one of
which forms the forehead. another the
nose and upper lip. and q third the
chin.
To obtain this outline in its perfec-
ton. one point of view is necessary
small cleared space, close by the noun.
tain road, and on the eastern edge Of
Profile Lake. Looking across the lake
from this point. the bold outlines Of
Cannon Mountain loom up but half
mile away. and far up its sides, looking
down upon the valley. is the face of the
Old Man Of the Mountains. stern, bold.
relentless, unchanging. HE neither
blinks at the near flashes Of lightning
beneath his nose, nor flincl,es from the
driving snow and sleet of the Franconia
winter, which makes the mercury of
the thermometer shrink into the bulb
and CONCEAL"
Passing down the road, the Old Mans
face changes first into that of "a tooth
less old woman in a mob cap" and
soon the entire outline is broken up
and the resemblance is lost. Going up
the road, the nose and face hatten out
until only the forehead is seen.
The profile is said to have been dis
covered in 1905 by two wOrkmen on
the mountain road. 1t had, however,
been known for ages to the Indians,
who attributed to it supernatural at
tributes. They even feared to fish in
the lake at its feet, or to sail their bark
canoes over its waters, from fear of the
stern face which it reflected. Many
legends and tales have been related
the wonderful face. In one
of these it is represented as the face of
Christ the Judge-"Christus Fuder."
Some one has written concerning it:
"Men put out signs representing the
different trades; jewellers hang out a
watch; shoemakers a huge
boot; and up here in Franconia. God
Almighty has hung out a sign that in
New England he makes men," -
WOnaan's Maqazine.